Post by Pally on Dec 22, 2017 0:17:39 GMT
The day after my hacking discovery, I heard some wonderful news, Myzuki had returned to Murkland. I headed down to the library as soon as I could to see her. She was happy I had learned to hack computers and said that it looked like I had even passed her in my skill. We talked about the strange coding I had uncovered and she said it sounded like I had hacked the CDC's old computer and that she was surprised it was still working. She also told me I could find a list of old employees who might be able to give me some more information on the coding on her upstairs computer.
It turned out that one of the old CDC workers had been living with Alma in Nukecrest. So I got a visa to go sell cowpies from Mud and headed off to the old chemical factory. I set up my table in front of the building to sell, but had no luck. I moved over to the side of the building but still no one showed up to shop. I was getting nervous, I knew Mud would be upset if I returned without selling anything so I tried one more time, moving across the street. It worked! I sold all my pies.
With the pies out of the way, I went inside the old factory to visit with Alma. She told me that a Dr. George did indeed live with them, but that he was often away. I had brought some homemade jam and bread with me and we sat down for a little snack while she told me more about the work the CDC used to do. "They had us busy with a lot of strange chemicals just before the apocalypse broke out," she mentioned, "many of them seemed out of this world." Just before I was leaving she told me that if I really wanted to speak to old George I could find him at the remains of the CDC on Friday evenings. He never missed a visit. I jogged home thinking Friday couldn't come fast enough.
The next couple of days seemed to crawl by. I tried to keep busy but even with all the house work and toddler training I still found myself wondering what to do. Thursday night the older kids and I ended up having a little dance party. Mud must of heard us because he invited himself over and started dancing with us. We all were swaying silently to the music until I heard one of the twins waking up. I went into check on them and Mud followed. It was Maddy,"Up! Up, momma," she held her arms out so I picked her up and we played airplane. She giggled with delight and Mud smiled with approval. When I put her down, he picked her up and sniffed the air,"Someone smells like she needs a bath," he grinned at her and took her out to the wash tub.
Now even though it wasn't bath day, I could do nothing to stop him from using the water. After all, he was the boss around here. He washed her with all the care of a loving father. Which I found so out of character for him. They say that fatherhood can change a man, and I was starting to believe that was true in Mud's case. After bathing Maddy, he went in and cleaned up a mess Muddia had made. By that time I had begun to wonder if the real Mud had been abducted and this was some sort of clone. Then he wondered happily out and tried to eat the cowplant cake. Well that ended the way it always does when someone tries to eat that cake. I think it woke him from whatever trance he was in and he returned to his old grumpy self and left.
Friday morning my three eldest kids all aged up. Pain discovered he loved programming and Mendy developed a love for cake. A really strong love of cake that sometimes got the better of her. Teenage life wasn't going to be easy for her. And dear Hannah, well she was now a young adult. Seemed like only yesterday she was being cradled in my arms. Kids grew so fast here.
That evening I headed down to the remains of the CDC. I still thought it strange they wanted to turn this place into a night club, but I guess people needed a place to gather and relax. There was a new bartender here tonight. His name was Drax, something or other. He had strange eyes that never seemed to blink but I wasn't really interested in him. It was the oddly dressed man who had just sat down at the bar and ordered a martini with extra onion. I sat next to him and introduced myself. He seemed sort of suspicious of me so I ordered him another drink and one for myself.
We talked for sometime after that. When I mentioned something about entering the basement of the CDC building he laughed and said it was flooded with a strange gas that was toxic to humans. Only an alien life form could stand to be down there for very long or someone with a bio-hazard suit. I asked him if he had met any of the aliens and if the rumors of them still being in Murkland were true. He said they were. The aliens had never really left. "They live among us hidden in plain sight," he told me in a strangely cryptic tone, "They are masters of disguise." I couldn't help but notice the strange way the bartender was now looking at us. His unblinking eyes shifting back and forth between us. When he saw me looking at him he chuckled nervously and offered us another drink. We accepted and I asked George if he knew where I could find a bio suit but he had no idea of any being left in Murkland.
It was a start. At least I knew I needed a suit before I could even think of going down there. But I had no time to look for one the next couple of days. I had to finish up my toddler skill building, Mud was getting impatient. So by Sunday afternoon, the Mud sisters aged into children. They both wanted to wear a make-up mask just like their father, and after I dressed them in some matching black clothing, I invited Mud over to view his newly aged girls. He was very proud when they told him all they had been taught, and he thanked me for a job well done, so far. Then he handed me a list of skills for them to learn before they could become teenage. All skills maxed, again.
I felt a little overwhelmed that evening after he left. But I knew he was pleased with me so that did make me feel a strange sense of happiness. Our relationships was still more of an affection for each other than anything else. It was confusing at times, but lately I could only really think of Sunshine and finding him. That evening I was able to locate a place a couple days travel away that could possible have a suit I was looking for. So early the next morning I told Hannah and Pain I was going on a trip. I told them to tell Mud I was selling cow pies and I'd be back in a few days. I asked them to watch over the twins. Pain gave me a hug and told me to be safe and that he'd take care of all the girls while I was gone.
After a long boat ride, I found myself on the Windblown Islands. I had met a few of the residents when they were visiting Murkland, so once I landed I sought a couple of them out. Takeru Kobayashi and his grandmother, Fumiko Kono, shared a little plot. Takeru ran a spicy food stand and his Grandmother had one of the best gardens I had ever seen. They let me set up my table to sell pies and we spent most of the morning and afternoon talking and selling. Once the pies were gone, Fumiko let me freshen up in her house and told me where I could find a suit. I could catch a little transport out to Container Island, and visit New Crate City, a little settlement made up of old shipping containers. "They have a little of everything there," she grinned at me.
Once on the island there was no mistaking the, city. A large cluster of shipping containers had been stacked and placed in some kind of a fortress. I was welcomed inside by a gate keeper and then taken up to a sort of throne room. I was soon joined by three men who were the elders of the little island city. I introduced myself to, Ren Konstantin, Shep Sanders( who for some reason was wearing a speedo) and Chad Keating. I told them of my reason for visiting them and then listened as they discussed whether or not to help me. In the end they said I could search for a suit in the old crates and boxes out front, but they wanted it returned when I was finished with it.
I couldn't wait to get back to the CDC! The boat ride back to Murkland seemed to take forever. Once I was back I did a quick check on the kids and then headed down to the CDC. I looked all over for a way to get down into the basement, but the only door I found was covered in some strange glowing vine that no blade seemed able to cute through. I ran into Sandy Sunleaf and I asked her about a way into the lower levels. She had no clue. It seemed hopeless. I decided to get a drink and think on it for a bit. There was another new bartender tonight and when he asked why I looked so sad, I spilled all my troubles on his clean, shiny bar. He told me he knew of someone who could teach me how to get past any obstacle. She would be visiting his home tomorrow and I was welcomed to come and see her. He gave me his address on a napkin before I left.
Early the next morning I found myslef at the Lost Temple of Flame. It was home to the lamplighters, a group of people charged with lighting the lanterns in the public places of Murkland and neighboring towns. I found the bartender from last night eating alone in a small outdoor kitchen. He told me his name was Ruben. I asked him where this person who could teach me how to get into the CDC basement was, and he said,"Kiki is like the wind. Some days she is moving faster than others. She arrives at her own time." He told me to make myself at home near one of the campfires, while he tended to his tasks. So I began my wait for the,'wind'.
Late that evening a strong breeze filled the little valley and I turned to find an old sand beaten woman standing behind me. I started to introduce myself when she stopped me,"I know who you are, Miss Style, and I know what you seek," she spoke in a whisper but it was as loud as a rumble in my ears,"You will only find what you want if you can look beyond what you can see." I was confused. She sensed this in me and told me I must dance near the bonfire all night and in the morning I would have my answer. I did as I was told and I don't really remember when or how I got to the top of the old temple roof, but I had learned the art of teleportation.
With this new skill I was going to be able to get into the basement. So I hurried back to the CDC and once inside, I began to dress myself in the bio suit. Little did I know someone else was in the building that morning. I was so busy focusing my mind on my task. My eyes were closed, my mind only sought one thing, entry into the basement. I could hear only my own breathing, the sound of my heart beating....silence....then I was there..
When I opened my eyes I was in a small room with doors on either side. I saw a strange book on a table to my right and picked it up gazing at the title,'Aliens Among Us'. I would of loved to read it, but I only had enough air in my suit for a quick explore. Since the one door was locked, I went through the other and found a small laboratory. More books were scattered around and I could hear the hum of a computer console and when I approached it began to blink and the screen flashed the words: Enter Command. I typed in: Location of Hippie Bun Man. It blinked a few times and then some coordinates flashed upon the screen. I turned and saw the map behind me had a little red dot on it that started blinking. "Sunshine..." I whispered. I wrote the coordinates on a paper and teleported back to the upper floor.
I removed the suit and placed it back into its container and was about to leave when I saw the strange bartender, Drax standing over at the bar. He waved to me and asked if I was thirsty. "I didn't think they served drinks this time of the day," I said, nervously sitting down and hoping he wouldn't wonder what I had been doing. "I figured you would want to celebrate," he smiled an almost creepy smile at me. I was about to break into a sweat, "Celebrate what?" I asked. "Oh you know, finding something you thought was lost," he slowly poured a liquid into his mixing tumbler. I was really nervous now. "Oh yeah, you must mean my necklace. I had lost it here the other night I am so happy I found it. It really means a lot to me," I rambled on for a bit hoping he would buy my story, "well anyway, I better get home. My kids are probably worried about me." "You sure you don't want this drink?" he offered a glass to me. "No thanks," I smiled and started to walk out. I could feel his eyes on the back of my head the whole time. I quickened my pace to the exit, I wasn't about to let anything stop me from finding Sunshine.
